Chapter Two

After I discovered I was pregnant with Brooklyn following high school graduation and after Mike had left, I turned to Rose and Alice as my basic support system. My dad had been sp disappointed he had kicked me out. I don't know what kind of parent kicks out their teenage daughter at her greatest time of need, but he had done it.

Jessica and Angela were supportive, but both of them had already made plans to go to college and before I knew it they were both moving away. Angela moved to New York to attend school at NYU and Jessica to Florida to the University of Florida. They both regularly sent emails, asking how my pregnancy was and telling to send pictures as soon as my belly started to grow bigger. Hearing the stories from their college experiences made me a little sad and envious, but I was glad they were making the most of their education and their experiences. Angela was majoring in film and had gotten the opportunity to co direct a play on Broadway and Jessica had made the Gators cheerleading team and would hopefully be heading to the ICU world championships early next year and asked if I could come with my little baby to support her. As expected though, their emails became less and less due to their demanding schedules. Now I almost never hear from them .

Living with the Cullens was well, awkward, for lack of a better word. Not even Esme and Carlisle knew what made Edward go MIA, or where he had fled to. But all awkwardness aside I was glad they had taken me under their wing. I was so grateful for that. They had assumed that the baby was Mike's, and I didn't have the heart to tell them that the baby on the way was actually their grandchild. I didn't want to have to explain that Edward had reappeared for one night and then vanished again without a trace.

It wasn't until one particularly emotional night for me which I then spilled the beans to his sisters, my best friends. Rose and Alice were mortified, speechless, confused and angry with Edward all at once. Rose had gotten up and ran straight to her Mac and started typing a furious email to Edward. I pleaded with her not to send it. Wherever Edward was now, he must have been in a better place. There was a reason he hadn't come back like he had promised that night. She eventually backed down and erased the email, and the three of us sat on the floor and ate chocolate ice cream and cried with me for a while. But Alice being who she was soon turned the mood around and got me to see the light in the situation. Edward or no Edward, this baby was going to grow up surrounded by family who loved him or her unconditionally. They would have two grandparents, two uncles, and two aunts who would spoil them rotten and love them to the end of the Earth. By the end of the night Alice had convinced me that it was only fair to her parents and her brothers that they know about the baby.

That Friday night Alice had planned a dinner with the entire family, explaining to them that there was some exciting news that had to be announced. Carlisle and Esme both immediately thought that Alice was now pregnant.

I was so nervous the entire dinner, and by the time desert had a arrived I felt like my supper was going to once again be displayed all over the white table cloth. Rose noticed how uncomfortable I was and gave my hand a comforting squeeze. Alice tod her family that I had something very important to tell the family and gave me and encouraging smile. It was like word vomit and everything came out all at once. To say they were surprised was an understatement. Esme looked like she was going to cry, and Carlisle and Jasper had the exact same expression on their faces. But leave it to Emmet to break the tension, all he said was that he hoped it was a boy so he could teach his new little nephew how to play football. After the shock eventually passed the Cullens became more supportive than ever, I couldn't have been more thankful for that.

There were certain moments during my pregnancy that I missed Edwards presence more than anything. The morning I woke up and noticed the little bump in between my hips was one. It had finally become evident that his child was growing inside of me and I wanted more than anything for him to be there and experience everything with me.

The first time I heard the heartbeat I cried. Not out of joy, but again because Edward couldn't be there to hear it with me.

When I discovered that I was having a little girl I cried over the fact that her daddy wouldn't be around to teach her things like how to ride a bike, and fight off mean boys in the playground. Who was going to read her late night stories and be the man she could look up to? She wouldn't be a daddy's girl like I hoped so much she would be.

By the time my little bump grew into a fully rounded belly my depression over Edwards absence grew to an all time high. All I wanted was to wake up in the morning and have Edward rubbing my swollen belly and whispering loving things to our daughter, but I was all alone.

The only thing worse than being depressed was being horny, which I felt like I was constantly. By the time my second trimester hit, I needed relief on a nightly basis. I wanted a mans touch. Not my vibrator.

But the absolute worst part about going through my pregnancy alone, was finally going into labour. It was the middle of the day and I was alone in the house when my water broke all over the kitchen floor. I called Alice in a panic and she told me that her and Rose would be there immediately to take me to the hospital. They were the ones who came into the delivery room with me, one on each side holding onto my hand and talking me through my breathing exercises and telling me I was doing a good job. I was so grateful for their presence but at that moment i wished more than anything that Edward was the one who was holding my hand and telling me to keep up the good work.

The moment she was born and I heard her cry for the first time I fell to pieces. Why was Edward missing this? The birth of our baby girl. Our beautiful and perfect baby girl. When the nurse asked me what her name was I had no idea what to tell her. I was so busy being depressed that I forgot to give her a name. Rose was the one who had suggested Brooklyn, and I thought it was beautiful. I had decided to name her after my two rocks as well. Brooklyn Alice Rose Cullen, and she suddenly became the one thing in my life that picked me up.

After Brooklyn was born I decided that going back to school was the best choice if I wanted to give the two of us the best life I could. I had always wanted to be a nurse and fortunately my grades from high school were good enough to get me in. So that fall I started my online course for my RN degree. School was hard at first I almost could never concentrate on my work because of Brooklyn. She was such a fussy baby. Always crying because she was hungry, or needing a diaper change, or just needed attention from her mommy. Esme, Rose and Alice helped as best they could but there were times where they just could calm her down. She needed her mommy not a substitute. But despite all the stress and distractions, I finished all my classes in two years instead of four. All I needed to do was my practicum, which required me to move to Seattle to finish.

Moving away from the Cullens was hard on everyone. I promised that I would be back at least once a month to visit and give them and Brooklyn time to catch up with one another. I think it was hardest on Brooklyn. She was only two years old but Rose and Alice were her best friends. She cried the entire way to the city.

Esme and Carlisle told me that the least they could do to help me out, was pay for a place for me to live since I had refused tuition money from them. My only condition was that it was an average place, and nothing too extravagant. Brooklyn and I didn't need much room if it was only going to be the two of us. Once I got settled, Rose and Alice started making the trip up to Seattle on alternating weekends to help look after Brooklyn. It saved me form looking for a babysitter while I was away at the hospital and it gave them a chance to spend some time with their niece.

I enjoyed spending time in the hospital much more than taking courses online. I had landed a spot in the paediatrics unit and although it broke my heart to see such sick kids all the time, I loved my job. I was lucky enough to make friends with another nurse named Victoria who had a young daughter of her own, who happened to be the same age as Brooklyn, and even offered to look after her on days where she wasn't working and I was. And vice versa.

In the last month before graduation there was something that happened that would shake my future. I was standing by the nursing station filling out a discharge form when Victoria came bouncing up beside me.

"Have you seen the new resident on our floor yet? He's a total babe, and I didn't see a wedding ring so I think he's single." She whispered, not very quietly I might add.

"Thanks Victoria but no thanks, I'm busy enough with school and Brooklyn, I can't get into a relationship." I replied.

"Bella he's hot! Just humour me and at least go check him out! He's in your patients room anyways and you need to go hand them their discharge orders." She grabbed my shoulders and pushed my down the hall in the direction of my patients room.

I turned around and stuck my tongue out at her. I knew her well enough to know if I didn't at least go pop my head in that she wouldn't let it go. I knocked on the door to the room and then pushed it open slowly. The supposedly hot resident had his back towards me.

I cleared my throat. "Sorry to interrupt doctor, but I have your patients discharge orders here." I said.

When he finally turned around and I saw his face, I couldn't help but disagree with Victoria's assessment of him.

But what made the air catch in my throat was who I saw sitting in the chair in the corner behind the bed.

"Bella..."

I didn't get a chance to hear the rest of his sentence because I passed out.

:O Is it Edward? And if it is what is he doing in the pediatric side of the hospital? Find out in teh nest chapter! More reviews and feedback help me get chapters up quicker! Besides I love your feedback!

Kisses,

-A